Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

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Matt.O
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Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by Matt.O »

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http://www.scienceworldreport.com/artic ... anized.htm

Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle Discovered in Oregon, Euthanized

An angler in Oregon spotted a scary, ancient- looking large creature at Prineville Reservoir. The massive creature was later confirmed as the 'alligator snapping turtle', the largest freshwater turtle.


The officials at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) were immediately informed about the sighting of the rare species. On tracing the reptile they were shocked to see the invasive species. The alligator snapper was captured and finally euthanized as the turtle is an aggressive creature.

"We euthanized it as soon as we got it back to the office," district biologist Greg Jackle told the Statesman Journal. "It's obviously a very large turtle that was not something that we've ever seen over here before."

Simon Wray, an ODFW conservation biologist, believes that the alligator snapper might have been a pet, which was released into the reservoir as it got too huge to maintain. This is the first alligator snapping turtle spotted in the wild in eastern Oregon.

"People get these turtles when they are small and release them when they get too big and aggressive to keep as pets," Wray said. "It's a poor choice for a pet and the environment."

Most often invasive creatures start as pets and in the long run when their keepers fail to look after them, they are dumped into the wild and turn into a threat for the ecosystem. Apart from such alligators, it is snakes and certain turtles that often raise concerns as they are capable of destroying the local wildlife and at the same time harm humans.

With a large heavy head and a long thick outer shell the alligator snapping turtle looks like a remnant of the dinosaur age, hence, they are also known as the 'dinosaur of the turtle world'. They are mainly seen in the southeastern waters of the U.S. These carnivores eat anything they catch. They mainly feed on fish and dead fish carcasses. They mostly hunt for their prey in the night. These aggressive reptiles can cause significant harm to humans especially as their bites are strong and have been known to bite off fingers. They have been listed as threatened species by the IUCN. Some states have imposed a ban on keeping alligator snappers as pets and also they are bred for their meat by some. They can grow huge and weigh up to 220 pounds.

"I'd hate to see these turtles get established in Oregon," said Rick Boatner, the department's invasive species coordinator. "We already have problems in the Willamette Valley with common snapping turtles."

The shell of the euthanized alligator snapper will be added to the department's educational display of non-native species. They take this as a good example to educate the locals about the ill effects of dumping unwanted invasive pets into the wild.
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JakeScott
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by JakeScott »

This article sounds like it was written by a 3rd grade kid who waited until the last night to complete. Horrible.
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

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"I'd hate to see these turtles get established in Oregon," said Rick Boatner, the department's invasive species coordinator. "We already have problems in the Willamette Valley with common snapping turtles."

Is that really feasible? An Alligator Snapper?
Sounds as environmentally probable as finding a Gooey Duck in Apalachicola, FL!
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muskiemagnet
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by muskiemagnet »

it's a bunch of crap. two reasons. first, it sure looks like a common to me. second, after the page loaded, an adult website popped up.

i also find it difficult to think that snappers would pose any threat as invasives. it's not like everyone just has to have one. not nearly the demand to support the possibility that enough would ever be released in enough quantity to reproduce and dominate. besides, if there are no proper nesting areas they are screwed anyways.

you've been bamboozled.

interestingly i just googled this rick guy. he actually does work for oregon invasives.

i still see no threat.

bill, what the heck is a gooey duck?

-ben
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Jeff
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by Jeff »

It's an Alligator snapper (note supramarginals, tricarinate carapace, head shape, etc.) -- seen plenty of both species.

No adult site pop-up for me, just E!-News at bottom (worse?).

Common snappers are problematic invasives in western Oregon, and a real problem where they have become established in Japan.

High intermountain West may seem like a bad place to get a Southern turtle started, but Nutria weren't supposed to survive in Louisiana. States have an Invasive Task Force that interacts with those of other states, exchanging bulletins, warnings, etc. We (Louisiana) recently got a "heads-up" about Golden Tegus. Who would have thought?

How many of us wish that first Nutria was euthanized, or the first Asian carp, or the first Brown Tree Snake, Apple Snail, Mongoose, etc.?

Jeff
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gbin
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by gbin »

JakeScott wrote:This article sounds like it was written by a 3rd grade kid who waited until the last night to complete. Horrible.
Agreed. But as you're in Gainesville, where I lived for several years, here's a related true story: I was at an academically oriented dinner party (thrown by my major professor, attended mostly by other professors and graduate students) there once where a group of us were standing around talking, getting to know one other. In the course of our conversation, one of us asked another the ordinarily innocuous question "What do you do for a living?" The fellow replied "I work for The Gainesville Sun..." The entire group immediately got awkwardly quiet, until after a moment the guy added "... but I'm an IT guy! I'm not responsible for any of the writing or editing there!" and all the rest of us started laughing. :lol:
muskiemagnet wrote:bill, what the heck is a gooey duck?
If Bill doesn't mind my answering on his behalf: It's spelled geoduck but pronounced gooey duck. It's a kind of clam.

I'm not thrilled with the article for a number of reasons, but I have no problem with a state wildlife agency capturing and euthanizing an exotic species.

Gerry
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walk-about
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by walk-about »

As Jake mentioned, this article was poorly written and very disturbing = bad PR for that state. The Alligator snapping turtle is listed at some protective status level in almost every state they inhabit. They are one of the most remarkable animals on the planet.

"We euthanized it as soon as we got back to the office"....Seems like a sad means to an end and an overly ridiculous response by Oregon F&G. I find it hard to believe that said specimen could not have been donated to a natural history museum or aquarium for educational purposes.

Dave
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by BillMcGighan »

Ben
bill, what the heck is a gooey duck?
As Gerry said, It’s clam, a delicious clam that is a must eat if you go to NW coast.
Bazaar in looks, “catching” one requires some fast and deep digging.



Jeff:
Common snappers are problematic invasives in western Oregon, and a real problem where they have become established in Japan.

High intermountain West may seem like a bad place to get a Southern turtle started, but Nutria weren't supposed to survive in Louisiana. States have an Invasive Task Force that interacts with those of other states, exchanging bulletins, warnings, etc. We (Louisiana) recently got a "heads-up" about Golden Tegus. Who would have thought?

How many of us wish that first Nutria was euthanized, or the first Asian carp, or the first Brown Tree Snake, Apple Snail, Mongoose, etc.?
I hear what you’re saying, Jeff, and it makes perfect sense that a common snapper could thrive in the NW, but it’s a stretch to think an Alligator Snapper could populate.



As Dave said:
Seems like a sad means to an end and an overly ridiculous response by Oregon F&G. I find it hard to believe that said specimen could not have been donated to a natural history museum or aquarium for educational purposes.
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Point of order:

Is a one-off specimen, found where it normally isn't otherwise found, automatically labeled an 'invasive species?'
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by Antonsrkn »

chris_mcmartin wrote:Point of order:

Is a one-off specimen, found where it normally isn't otherwise found, automatically labeled an 'invasive species?'
I noticed that too, and even more so I thought it was a bit silly that they say its shell will be put in a display of non native species, i imagine that the display focuses on invasives and I think its quite a stretch to call alligator snappers that by any means.

I saw a different article, I'll post it if someone wants even though its pretty much the same thing and just as bad, that says an angler spotted it cruising along the surface of the lake and called authorities who came and captured it the next day. To me this screams half frozen and sick turtle, I think it would be really tough finding and catching an individual turtle in a whole watershed otherwise. Especially something like a snapper which doesn't bask much but is buried in muck somewhere. I'm betting the turtle was on its way out already from the cold, yet they're still calling it an invasive species. :crazyeyes:
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Jeff
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by Jeff »

Is a one-off specimen, found where it normally isn't otherwise found, automatically labeled an 'invasive species?
Who says only one? What if the one captured represents the first of many in Prineville Reservoir? Did someone simply dump one AST in the reservoir? That is a question that cannot be immediately answered, and will require further surveys by personnel in Oregon. I have found a Boa Constrictor, Giant Plated Lizard and Mollendorff's Rat Snake in Louisiana, all apparently isolated incidents. However, a few years ago I got a photo of a Florida Softshell from a particular place in Louisiana, and they are now successfully reproducing at that site. What about the first Common Snapper found in the Willamette Valley? Did it get the "poo-poo" from biologists?

Snapping Turtles are flagged as 'invasive-detrimental-banned' species in some states and nations, and the capture of one in the 'wild' warrants further investigation. Attention by the news media is very helpful in alerting the public to a particular species, and often results in a wealth of valuable information fort state agencies.

Jeff
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Jeff wrote:
Is a one-off specimen, found where it normally isn't otherwise found, automatically labeled an 'invasive species?
Who says only one? What if the one captured represents the first of many in Prineville Reservoir? Did someone simply dump one AST in the reservoir? That is a question that cannot be immediately answered, and will require further surveys by personnel in Oregon.

Yes...it's a question that cannot be immediately answered...yet the label was automatically applied.

Why is that a problem? If someone's pet bearded dragon escapes in Dallas (as has happened), should bearded dragons then be listed as 'invasive?' What would be the implications for the millions of bearded dragons in households across the US?
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Jeff
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by Jeff »

should bearded dragons then be listed as 'invasive?'
There is a relatively short list of plants and animals that are considered Invasive by the Federal and State agencies. The two snapping turtles are existing or potential invasives. Bearded dragons are not on the list.

Jeff
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regalringneck
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by regalringneck »

...im surprised at the apparent concensus here that AST would not thrive in oregon as they apparently do get as far n as iowa/illinois, which are way colder, though they do also get warmer in summer.
Just a clarification; in the wildlif mngmt vernacular; exotic & invasive are not always synonymous, one is a political status, the other more of an "ecological status" whereby an exotic thrives in its new environment (the presumption being one or more, other native organisms are subsequently affected).
& as far as what to do w/ dallas if a bearded gets loose ... dont start me ... :p
fwiw; common snaps are being found occasionally in phx area ponds too.
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Blacktail31
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by Blacktail31 »

From all the negativity posted about this article I should have just moved on but nope curiosity killed the cat, clicking that link got me 3 malicious web attacks. Hahahah
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walk-about
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Re: Invasive Alligator Snapping Turtle

Post by walk-about »

"The alligator snapper was finally captured and euthanized as it is an aggressive creature"....from the article.

Any of us who have ever had the pleasure of working with these incredible turtles will tell you they are anything but aggressive. Especially when compared to the common snappers - genus Chelydra. They are quite shy and retiring - rarely biting unless pressed into doing so and almost always while out of the water. Had this been some other threatened US specie such as a cute and flabby Florida manatee - do you honestly think it would have been killed by the F&G? Just say'n.

Dave
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